By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
New Tehri, 24 Oct: A Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter enroute to Kedarnath from Dehradun made a precautionary emergency landing at Bourari Stadium in New Tehri this morning after allegedly developing a technical snag mid-flight, triggering panic among local residents present at the ground. However, all the six persons on board, including the pilot and five passengers from Mumbai, remained safe and no injuries have been reported.
According to information received, the helicopter had taken off from Sahastradhara in Dehradun early this morning and was proceeding towards Guptkashi and Kedarnath Dham when a technical problem was detected during the flight. At around 7.15 am, the pilot decided to carry out a precautionary landing at Bourari Stadium in New Tehri to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew.
The sudden landing created a brief commotion at the stadium, where a large number of local residents were engaged in morning walks while several children were playing on the ground. Seeing the helicopter descend unexpectedly, many people moved away from the area to safer locations. Eyewitnesses said the helicopter approached at a low altitude and appeared to be circling before landing, causing alarm among those present.
The eyewitnesses shared that the helicopter suddenly came very close to the ground, leaving people startled and frightened. He said children playing in the area immediately ran in different directions after noticing the aircraft descending unexpectedly. They also said that people were out for their routine morning walk when the helicopter approached rapidly. As it became apparent that the aircraft was about to land in the stadium, many residents moved away from the spot, believing it was an emergency situation.
The pilot, however, described the incident as a precautionary landing. According to him, the helicopter was operating on the Sahastradhara-Guptkashi route and was carrying six persons on board. He maintained that the landing was undertaken purely as a safety measure and that all passengers remained safe throughout the incident.
Following the landing, the helicopter remained stationed at the stadium for around 30 to 35 minutes while the pilot inspected the aircraft and consulted technical experts regarding the fault. After the technical issue was rectified and safety checks were completed, the helicopter successfully resumed operations and departed for its onward journey towards Guptkashi and Kedarnath. Some initial reports had indicated that the aircraft might return to Sahastradhara after the precautionary halt, but officials later confirmed that the helicopter was able to continue its scheduled flight after necessary checks.
District Disaster Management Officer Brijesh Bhatt confirmed that the helicopter had developed a technical snag, necessitating the precautionary landing at Bourari Stadium. He said there were six persons on board, including the pilot, and all of them were safe.
The incident sparked concern among residents because of the large number of people present at the stadium at the time of landing. However, the pilot‘s prompt decision and safe handling of the aircraft ensured that no untoward incident occurred. While the immediate technical issue was addressed and the helicopter resumed its journey, official confirmation regarding the exact nature of the snag and other operational details is still awaited.
